The hull of the new vessel is being built in Szczecin, Poland, for later delivery for completion at Denmark's Hvide Sande Ship & Bådebyggeri yard.
The Roman goddess Aurora gives her name to Aarhus University's new research vessel which from the summer of 2014 should be ready to sail. "The keel on the 28 meter long ship has just been completed and construction is progressing according to plan. Aurora is a very flexible ship that can be adapted for many different tasks. She can really reinvent herself every morning", says Torben Vang, skipper of the new research vessel.
The contract with the yard was signed on 27 June 2012. The total cost is 40 million kroner, of which 30 million comes from the Board of Research and Innovation.
The finished ship will be operated by the University of Aarhus in 2014, the first newly constructed Danish research ship since Dana was built over 30 years ago. The new vessel gives a better opportunity to examine and understand ecosystems in the oceans, for the benefit of all Danish marine scientists and a host of new students. Fourteen people may remain on board for up to ten days.
"There is no doubt that Danish marine scientists will get significantly better options when Aurora heads out from the summer of 2014", says Torben Vang, who is looking forward to welcoming researchers to much better, bigger and more modern research facilities.